In recent years, the idea of personal branding has advanced quickly. More people than only consultants, trainers, and writers are now seeking to establish their credentials. Executives, opinion leaders, and even recent high school graduates seeking for their first job are joining the celebration. Everybody needs to consciously consider their online character since it is now more crucial than ever to have a strong personal brand. You can almost always count on the people making the decision to check you up online, whether you’re applying for a CEO post at a Fortune 500 firm, sending a graduate application to a tech giant, or attempting to land your first customer.
They could start by searching for your name on Google, then visit Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to see what kind of digital imprint you’ve left behind. Your digital footprint is the first impression that the current business world has of you, good, terrible, or ugly. So, what constitutes a strong first impression? How can you create a strong personal brand? Here are few ideas to help you get back on course.
1. Find your voice
What is your “voice” in terms of your own brand? Although it’s a phrase that’s frequently used in the corporate sector, your personal brand depends on it just as much. The way you promote yourself online is through your unique branding voice. What do you believe in? What values do you hold? What is your primary message? What do you want? What’s your one-sentence summary?
All of these are inquiries that you ought to be posing to yourself. And anyone contacting you in person or searching for you online should have no trouble finding the answers.
2. Make your brand stand out.
Your personal brand requires an identity just like a company does. Who and what you stand for make up your identity. These are the characteristics that will stick in people’s minds. The combination of language, graphics, colours, fonts, and style helps to convey your message.
I’d advise you to go so far as to draught a paper outlining your personal branding principles, much as a new company would. This will help you convey your brand consistently and guarantee that everybody you recruit adheres to the same standards.
3. Establish a personal website.
Having a personal website is essential for creating your identity and offering curious people a location to discover more about you, as you can see from the examples I’ve provided so far. Your website is where your important messaging will be presented and will appear when someone searches for your name on Google. It serves as the cornerstone of your internet brand. Each social media platform, job application, and client proposal will include a link to your website as a resource.
It is THE answer to the riddle of your credibility. A key component of your brand identification is your own website. Something that people may easily put into their phone’s browser to be immediately reminded of you.
4. Take advantage of every chance for branding
Your personal brand must be well-known in order to be remembered. Of course, your website should come first. But after that, it’s time to take control of all of your social media accounts and develop a consistent messaging strategy there as well. Everything you do, from Twitter to LinkedIn, should adhere to the same brand identity, messaging, and website details so that people can learn more about your personal brand wherever they come across you.
The best method for guiding visitors to your website (or other content you’re posting) that strengthens your brand is through branded short links. Brand recall may really rise by over 39% when employing branded short links.